Four members sworn in to Vineland Board of Education

Jan. 9, 2014

Eugene Medio (right) was voted president of the Vineland Board of Education Wednesday. Scott English (second from right) was named vice president. / Staff photo/Cody Glenn

ADVERTISEMENT

VINELAND — The school board welcomed four newly elected members and narrowly chose to stay the course with Eugene Medio as its president.

During the reorganization Wednesday, oaths for three-year terms were sworn by re-elected member Scott English, returning member Brian DeWinne and rookie Richard Baruffi.

DeWinne and Baruffi replace R. Alan Mounier and Tom Ulrich, who opted not to seek another three-year term.

However, Ulrich remains on the board, sworn in to fill a one-year vacancy left when board member Carlos Mercado resigned in August.

By a 5-4 vote, Medio bested the other nominee, Diamaris Rios, to lead the board. Also by a single-vote margin, English replaced Susanne Morello, who also was nominated, in the vice president’s seat.

Despite the sharply polarized votes, several board members said they looked forward to working as a team.

The board agreed to approve the bylaws, but only for three months. This gives members time to review them and recommend any updates.

The last time the district’s bylaws underwent a complete review was 2010, according to Superintendent Mary Gruccio said, adding it is time to do it again to ensure they reflect current regulations.

“It’s a very lengthy process,” she said.

But first, the district must get through its budget process, as well a state review which will take up much of the next two months.

During board comments, Ulrich vowed to do his best to bring a “straight-forward common sense approach to the district.” The Vineland police captain said he planned to focus on safety issues within the district.

DeWinne, a board member from 2008 to 2011, took time away from the board for his family and youth sport coaching.

“Now I’m back,” he said, eager to work with the board.

He spoke with pride about his two children, who are honor students in the school district, as well as the educational opportunities offered here.

A newcomer, Baruffi acknowledged butterflies during his first public votes.

“I felt my heart pounding like it was a a basketball game,” said the former VHS girls basketball coach.

(Page 2 of 2)

As the board’s new vice president, English said, “We do have to be a team — at times it may look like we are divided down the middle when that 5-4 vote comes.”

So many things have changed during his three years on the board, but English said, many things come down to “communication problems.”

His “ultimate goal” was to make himself accessible as much as possible so the board members have an avenue to get access to information they need in a timely fashion, even should Medio not be available, he said.

After the welcome speeches, Medio said, “now let’s get down to a little business — as everyone knows we have a budget that probably has a shortfall in it.”

For the work session Wednesday, Medio has directed Gruccio to present the board with preliminary 2014-15 budget information, including the amount of any expected shortfall as well as several scenarios as to how the district could cope with flat or reduced state funding.

Then Medio noted 42 minutes “is long enough” and called for adjournment but did not bang the hammer, which was handed to him at the beginning of the meeting when the gavel could not be located.